Is Your Latte Art Good Enough for Coffee Fest St. Louis?

Coffee Fest, a java-centric trade show, is coming to the Cervantes Convention Center at America's Center at the end of May. There's a big opportunity for Gateway baristas -- a latte art competition. Instagram and artisan coffeehouses have encouraged the rise of so-called "latte art," which are the designs in the top of your coffee created with milk foam. Think yours is good enough to win big time?

The festival started in 1992 in Seattle, which was really the beginning of popular coffee culture. Here's the deal for the latte art competition: submit two photos of your best creations, and if they're good enough, you'll be invited to compete at the show in May.

The contest is judged on a series of criteria:

1. Aesthetic beauty

2. Definition

3. Color infusion

4. Degree of difficulty and creativity

5. Speed

The winner gets $2,000, and second and third place get $1,000 and $500, respectively. Submit your application here and you'll be notified a month before the competition. Submissions are due April 20; the competition is May 30 to June 1. Come on, St. Louis, let's see your stuff.